Estimating distribution of persons in a physical environment

Abstract

Tracking systems and methods of estimating a distribution of persons in a physical environment are provided. A tracking system may comprise a wireless receiver configured to detect instances of a wireless signal from each mobile device passing through an entryway in and out of the environment and a computing device configured to identify an identifier transmitted in each instance and compute a trip time for each mobile device and an aggregate trip time spent by all mobile devices during an analysis period. The computing device may read a probability map that indicates a probability that one of the mobile devices is located in each predetermined location and oriented in a predetermined direction. The computing device may assign each time unit a predetermined location and orientation based on the probability map, and for a selected target location, compute and display an aggregate time and a probability distribution of shopper orientation.

1 . A tracking system estimating a distribution of persons in a physical environment, comprising:
 a wireless receiver configured to:
 detect a first instance of a wireless signal of a mobile device of each of a plurality of persons passing through an entryway into a shopping environment; and 
 detect a second instance of the wireless signal from each mobile device passing through the entryway out of the shopping environment; and 
   a computing device configured to:
 identify an identifier transmitted in each of the first instances of the wireless signals; 
 mark an entrance time for each of the mobile devices to the shopping environment based on the identification of the wireless identifier; 
 detect the wireless identifier transmitted in each of the second instances of the wireless signals; 
 mark an exit time for each of the mobile devices based upon the detection of the wireless identifier; 
 compute a trip time for each of the mobile devices based on the entrance time and exit time of each mobile device; 
 compute an aggregate trip time spent by all mobile devices in the shopping environment during an analysis period; 
 read a probability map of the shopping environment that indicates for a plurality of predetermined locations in the shopping environment, a probability that one of the mobile devices is located in each predetermined location, and a probability that the mobile device is oriented in a predetermined direction within each predetermined location; 
 divide the aggregate trip time into multiple time units; 
 allocate the time units to each of the predetermined locations based on the probability map, such that each time unit is assigned a predetermined location and orientation; 
 for a target location selected from the predetermined locations within the shopping environment, compute an aggregate time estimation indicating the aggregate time spent by shoppers in that location, and a probability distribution of shopper orientation, based on the time units allocated to the target location based upon the probability map; and 
 display on a display associated with the computing device, for the target location, the probability distribution. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the probability map is produced by a shopper tracking system that tracks radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, with RFID sensors throughout the shopping environment. 
     
     
         3 . The tracking system of  claim 2 , wherein the probability map further indicates a probability that the mobile device is moving at a velocity within the predetermined location. 
     
     
         4 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the probability map is produced by an image-based shopper tracking system with cameras throughout the shopping environment. 
     
     
         5 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the probability map is produced by transaction log analysis linking shopper trips to locations of products in the shopping environment. 
     
     
         6 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone or mobile computing device, or an accessory of the mobile telephone or mobile computing device. 
     
     
         7 . The tracking system of  claim 5 , wherein the accessory is an earpiece, a microphone, headphones, or a wireless dongle. 
     
     
         8 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal is a BLUETOOTH® signal, and the wireless identifier is a MAC address of the mobile device. 
     
     
         9 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a global positioning system unit. 
     
     
         10 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the probability distribution comprises displaying at least one graph. 
     
     
         11 . The tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein the probability distribution is displayed with a floor plan of the shopping environment. 
     
     
         12 . A method of estimating a distribution of persons in a physical environment, comprising:
 detecting a first instance of a wireless signal of a mobile device of each of a plurality of persons passing through an entryway into a shopping environment;   detecting a second instance of the wireless signal from each mobile device passing through the entryway out of the shopping environment;   identifying an identifier transmitted in each of the first instances of the wireless signals;   marking an entrance time for each of the mobile devices to the shopping environment based on the identification of the wireless identifier;   detecting the wireless identifier transmitted in each of the second instances of the wireless signals;   marking an exit time for each of the mobile devices based upon the detection of the wireless identifier;   computing a trip time for each of the mobile devices based on the entrance time and exit time of each mobile device;   computing an aggregate trip time spent by all mobile devices in the shopping environment during an analysis period;   reading a probability map of the shopping environment that indicates for a plurality of predetermined locations in the shopping environment, a probability that one of the mobile devices is located in each predetermined location, and a probability that the mobile device is oriented in a predetermined direction within each predetermined location;   dividing the aggregate trip time into multiple time units;   allocating the time units to each of the predetermined locations based on the probability map, such that each time unit is assigned a predetermined location and orientation;   for a target location selected from the predetermined locations within the shopping environment, computing an aggregate time estimation indicating the aggregate time spent by shoppers in that location, and a probability distribution of shopper orientation, based on the time units allocated to the target location based upon the probability map; and   displaying on a display, for the target location, the probability distribution.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the probability map is produced by a shopper tracking system that tracks radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, with RFID sensors throughout the shopping environment. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the probability map further indicates a probability that the mobile device is moving at a velocity within the predetermined location. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the probability map is produced by an image-based shopper tracking system with cameras throughout the shopping environment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the probability map is produced by transaction log analysis linking shopper trips to locations of products in the shopping environment. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone or mobile computing device, or an accessory of the mobile telephone or mobile computing device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the wireless signal is a BLUETOOTH® signal, and the wireless identifier is a MAC address of the mobile device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein displaying the probability distribution comprises displaying at least one graph. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the probability distribution is displayed with a floor plan of the shopping environment.